Bewcastle Castle

Bewcastle Castle stands in the parish of Bewcastle in Cumbria, a few miles from the Scottish border. It occupies the site of a former Roman fort and is surrounded by a dry moat. Parts of the moat reuse the original Roman ditch. The first castle was built around 1092 and later destroyed in 1173. It was rebuilt towards the end of the 14th century and again repaired in the 15th century by the Duke of Gloucester, later King Richard III. The Musgrave family held the castle from the late 15th century and made repairs in the 1540s. In 1599, a football match was arranged as a trap for the Armstrongs of Whitehaugh, who instead launched a surprise attack. In 1602, Thomas Musgrave faced accusations of harbouring thieves and fought a duel to settle the matter. The castle was reputedly destroyed by Cromwell in the 1640s and fell into ruin by the 17th century. Much of the stone was removed for nearby buildings, but the gatehouse with its internal garderobe still remains. The name Bewcastle likely refers to the Roman fort within which it was built. The Ordnance Survey records the name as Bew Castle. The ruins offer a quiet glimpse into centuries of conflict and change.